Phalaenopsis orchid plant named ‘Charming’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘Charming’ particularly characterized by flowers which are yellow with red/purple spots and stripes; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Phalaenopsis hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Charming’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Charming’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Charming’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventor, René Schoone, in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Phalaenopsis cultivar particularly characterized by its attractive and unique colored flowers, economical propagation via tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Charming’ originated from a cross made by the inventor in 2001 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The female or seed parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Yu Pin Natsume’, unpatented. The male or pollen parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘I-Hsin Sunflower’, unpatented. The new Phalaenopsis ‘Charming’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2009 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phalaenopsis cultivar by tissue culture (mericloning) was first performed in November, 2009 in Cieweg 13, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar asexually reproduces true-to-type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘Charming’, which in combination distinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. flowers which are yellow with red/purple spots and stripes;     -   2. plant produces more than one inflorescence;     -   3. plants may be propagated economically and uniformly using         tissue culture;     -   4. inflorescences are long and sturdy; and     -   5. relatively short, dark-green foliage.

In comparison with the parental cultivars of ‘Charming’, the female parent ‘Yu Pin Natsume’ has yellow flowers with a purple mark (mostly in the center) whereas the flowers of ‘Charming’ are yellow with red/purple spots and stripes. The flowers of the male parent ‘I-Hsin Sunflower’ are also yellow with red/purple spots, only less and smaller spots and less red/purple in the labellum.

Presently, the commercial cultivar to which ‘Charming’ can be meaningfully compared is ‘Grazia’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/986,294). The flowers of ‘Charming’ are yellow with red/purple stripes whereas the flowers of ‘Grazia’ have more red/purple on the sepals and petals and yellow on the edges. Also differs the shape of the petals/sepals and the shape of the labellum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phalaenopsis ‘Charming’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘Charming’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of ‘Charming’ in a 12 cm pot, at 16 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the typical flower of ‘Charming’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the typical leaves of ‘Charming’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘Charming’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘Charming’ as grown in a greenhouse in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Initially, the ideal temperature to grow plants of ‘Charming’ is 27° C. during the day and at night. Then, during the flowering phase of ‘Charming’, the ideal growing temperature is 20-22° C. during the day and 18° C. at night. Light levels for growing ‘Charming’ are a minimum of 5,000 lux and a maximum of 10,000 lux. A balanced fertilizer with level of 200 ppm N, 87 ppm P, 168 ppm K is applied. Duration of growth of ‘Charming’ from potting size is between 10 and 14 months.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions at approximately noon in Zaandammerweg, Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age of the ‘Charming’ plants described is 12 months after potting.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrida. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Yu             Pin Natsume’, unpatented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘I-Hsin Sunflower’, unpatented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Tissue culture.         -   Rooting habit and description.—Fleshy; approximately 6 mm             wide and greyed/green in color (RHS 190B); freely branching.             It takes 12 weeks for plants growing in tissue culture to             initiate roots. -   Plant:     -   -   Size at maturity.—Height (from bottom of pot to highest             flower): about 50 cm. Spread: about 40 cm.         -   Growth habit.—Small; green leaves (RHS N137A) and a             relatively normal raceme.         -   Vigor.—Moderate.         -   Crop time.—Following asexual propagation, at about 26 weeks             2 leaves appear; at about 30 weeks 3-4 leaves appear; after             a cold treatment of about 4-8 weeks at a temperature of             about 19° C. about 1-3 racemes with flowers appear. -   Foliage:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 6-10 leaves are produced before             flowering.         -   Arrangement and attachment.—Half up/horizontal and on two             sides.         -   Overall shape of leaf.—Oval; the tip is blunt and             asymmetric.         -   Texture (upper & underside).—Smooth and leathery.         -   Pubescence.—None.         -   Mature leaf length.—About 22 cm.         -   Mature leaf width.—About 8 cm.         -   Mature leaf thickness.—About 2 mm.         -   Mature leaf color.—Upper side: green (RHS N137A). Under             side: green (RHS 137B).         -   Leaf base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Venation.—Pattern: parallel. Color of midvein: Upper side:             green (RHS N137A). Under side: green (RHS 137B and RHS             137C). -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Upright to slightly pendant, racemose             inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open             in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.         -   Raceme.—Quantity per plant: about 1 to 3. Number of flowers             per raceme: about 15-25. Length: about 50 cm.         -   Peduncle.—Diameter: about 3 mm. Strength: strong. Aspect:             upright. Texture: glabrous and smooth. Color: green (RHS             143A). Internode: Length: about 35 mm.         -   Buds.—Height (from base to tip): about 21 mm. Diameter (at             midpoint): about 17 mm. Shape: oval/egg-shaped with a bump             on one side. Color: yellow/green (RHS 151A). Orientation:             same as flowers (forward facing).         -   Flowering time.—For an untreated plant (flowering plant that             has not undergone cold-treatment where the plant grows at a             temperature of 18° C. to 19° C. for about 4 to 8 weeks after             a period of about 30 weeks at a temperature of 25° C.), 1-3             racemes appear with flower buds and flowers. First flowers             can be expected approximately 4 to 6 months after planting a             plant with a leaf diameter of 3 to 5 cm. Flowers persistent.         -   Flowering longevity.—On the plant: about 4 to 6 months;             lastingness of cut flowers: has not been observed.         -   Fragrance.—No fragrance.         -   Flower.—Rate of opening: Flowers fully opened about 2 to 3             days after petal and sepal separation. Orientation at             opening: slanted upward and outward. Shape: Typical shape of             Phalaenopsis; see FIG. 2. Size (of single bloom): Height:             about 50 mm. Diameter: about 50 mm. Quantity and             arrangement: three petals and three sepals that are             trimerous, overlapping and arranged in 2 whorls. Petals are             more pronounced than sepals.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Inner whorl comprises 3 petals: 2             lateral petals and a labellum. 2 lateral petals: Overall             shape: broadly ovate and weakly cupped. Apex: oval. Margin:             entire and weakly undulate. Base: broadly ovate. Length:             about 25 mm. Width: about 25 mm. Texture: Upper surface:             smooth and satiny. Under surface: smooth and satiny. Color             (when fully opened): upper side: main color is yellow (RHS             5A) with a yellow/green haze (RHS N144A) and red/purple             spots/stripes (RHS 59A). Under side: main color is yellow             (RHS 5B) with a yellow/green haze (RHS 151A) and on the             sides some red/purple spots (RHS 59A). Labellum: Overall             shape: 3-lobed with 2 prominent callosities at central             junction of the lateral lobes and base of the midlobe.             Lateral lobes of labellum fold upward about the column;             Lateral lobes of the labellum are ovate in shape while the             midlobe is triangular with a bump and a rib on it. Margin:             entire and weakly undulate. Apex: oval. Length: about 15 mm.             Width (not flattened): about 13 mm. Depth of tube created by             lateral lobes of labellum: about 4 mm. Texture: Upper &             under surface: smooth and satiny. Color (when fully opened):             Midlobe upper side: main color is red/purple (RHS 59A and             RHS 60A). At the base some yellow/orange (RHS 14A) and at             the end of the labellum some yellow (RHS 10A) with a             yellow/orange haze (RHS 14A). Under side: at the base in the             center some white (RHS NN155C). The sides are red/purple             (RHS 59A) which runs into yellow (RHS 9A) and in the center             red/purple (RHS 70A). At the end of the labellum white (RHS             NN155B). Lateral lobes, upper side: main color is yellow             (RHS 9A, with red/purple spots and stripes (RHS 59A). Under             side: yellow (RHS 9B and RHS 9C). At the top some red/purple             (RHS 59A). Cirrhi: there is no Cirrhi. Pestle (callosities):             Length: about 4 mm. Width (not flattened): about 3 mm.             Color: yellow (RHS 9A and RHS 13A) with red/purple spots             (RHS 60A).         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Outer whorl comprises 3 sepals. Overall             shape: elliptical and weakly cupped. Margin: entire and             weakly undulate. Length: about 27 mm. Width: about 23 mm.             Apex: oval; dorsal sepals have a notch at the top. Texture:             Upper and under surface: smooth and satiny. Color (when             fully opened): Upper side: Dorsal: yellow (RHS 9C) with a             yellow/green haze (RHS 144A) and red/purple stripes and             spots (RHS 60A). Lateral: yellow/green (RHS 151D). At the             end also some yellow/green (RHS 151A). Red/purple (RHS 59A             and RHS 59B) spots/stripes all over. On the lower part also             some larger marks (RHS 59A and RHS 59B). Under side: Dorsal:             Yellow (RHS 9A) with yellow/green (RHS N144A). Lateral:             yellow/green (RHS 151A) with a yellow/green haze (RHS 144A).         -   Pedicel.—Length: about 35 mm. Diameter: about 3 mm. Texture:             glabrous and smooth. Color: starting at the flower             yellow/green (RHS 157D) which runs into yellow/green (RHS             144B). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a             single, short structure called the column, possessing one             terminal anther with pollen grains united into a pollinia,             which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located             under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior             with three carpels present. The plant has not produced seed.         -   Column.—Length: about 11 mm. Diameter: about 2 mm. Color:             white (RHS NN155D).         -   Pollinia.—Quantity: two. Diameter: about 1 mm. Color:             yellow/orange (RHS 17A).         -   Ovary.—Length: about 2 mm. Diameter: about 2 mm. Color:             white (RHS NN155B). -   Disease/pest resistance/ susceptibility: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of about 15° C.     and to a high temperature about 30° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Charming’, as illustrated and described herein. 